Do you have a loved one who is currently receiving care in a nursing home? One of the biggest threats to their health and well being is the fact that many of these nursing homes are chronically understaffed. If this is the case, your relative may not be getting anywhere near the level of supervision, care, and treatment that they need in order to remain healthy.
Chronic Understaffing in Nursing Homes Can lead to Serious Consequences
Did you know that the National Center on Elderly Abuse (NCEA)has recently released a report in which they state that nearly half of all nursing homes currently existing in the United States are understaffed? This is a major problem that breeds serious consequences.
For example, understaffing is the direct cause of patients in nursing homes being unable to receive the treatment that they require. This is not necessarily due to a lack of concern on the part of the nursing home staff. It comes about because the employees are simply overworked, sometimes to the point of exhaustion.
Imagine reporting to a job where there are supposed to be two or three dozen employees on duty. You then discover there are less than a dozen. This will lead to longer shifts, more responsibilities, and the need to be constantly on watch for spills, accidents, and health scares. As a result, nursing home employees are being stretched thin. This is the cause of the potential for tragedy becoming much higher.
The Number of Nursing Home Residents is Growing While Employees Are Shrinking
There are currently tens of thousands of nursing home residents in every state in the nation. This number is not stable but is actually growing. Meanwhile, the number of people employed as staff in these nursing homes is not growing to a level that is anywhere near adequate to meet the increasing demand.
The Illinois Nursing Home Care Act has established very strict requirements for care at these facilities. However, the chronic understaffing that plagues these centers means that there are still plenty of cases of abuse. In fact, as long as this level of understaffing remains at critical levels, the number of unreported cases will probably outnumber the ones that do come to light.
Nursing Home Abuse is a Serious Issue That Needs Your Attention
Nursing home abuse can come in many forms. If it’s due to understaffing, it may be a simple matter of residents not getting the care they need, such as being bathed or fed or even getting turned over on the bed in order to prevent bedsores. If this is the case, you’ll begin to notice the tell tale signs soon enough. Instead of letting them grow worse, you need to alert the authorities.
Your relative may become haggard looking, pale, or thin. They may become lethargic or unresponsive. They may begin to look unkempt and dirty due to a lack of bathing and proper grooming. If you notice any of these signs, you need to alert the senior staff right away. If you don’t notice an improvement in your relative’s condition after a reasonable amount of time, you may need to take legal action.
If your loved one has been injured as a result of abuse or neglect due to understaffing, you can contact an Illinois nursing home abuse lawyer. This may be necessary due to the fact that no one at the nursing home wants to take responsibility for your loved one’s injuries. You may be forced to file a nursing home abuse claim with an Illinois lawyer just to get them to pay attention.
What Can You Do When Your Loved One Becomes a Victim of Abuse?
Do you have reason to believe that your loved one has become a victim of nursing home abuse? If you believe that this abuse is due to chronic understaffing, the time for you to take action is now. You can contact a Chicago nursing home abuse attorney to help you file your claim and take your case to court.
Your best bet is to file your claim immediately. We have many years of experiencing in dealing with these types of cases. We can work with you to gather all of the eyewitness statements, medical documents, and other evidence that you require to make your case with. We will then give you expert representation that will lead either to a satisfactory settlement or a victory in court.
Whether the abuse of your elderly relative is due to understaffing, negligence, oversight, or any other cause, you don’t have to put up with it. You can file a claim in court to get the justice your relative deserves. Feel free to get in touch with our Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyers today to learn more about what we can do on behalf of your loved one.